I think we can all agree that it hasnt been a good October (And i'm not referring to any dodgy Halloween parties)
However with the arrival of Afoa and the signinging of Terrablanche added to the returning of our Internationals we have a chance to make this November the biggest turn around before we hit the gig guns of Leinster and Munster late December. Will or can we get back to a state of good Rugby health by that stage?
Make your predictions if you dare and are willing to maybe take a bit of heat from the usual suspects!
Ulster v Connacht Win 4pts
Ulster v ASM Win 4pts
Tigers v Ulster 1pts
Glasgow v Ulster 5pts (I had a dream!)
Ulster v Scarlets 4pts
Ulster v Aironi 5pts
Aironi v Ulster 4pts
Get these results and a losing bonus to leinster with a win for Christmas and Santa will have been good!
noun "Fan"
an enthusiastic devotee, follower, or admirer of a sport,
I'm Not an expert, not always right, I'm just enthusiastic....well most of the time!
I'm sure we'll get the usual response of banal waffle from 'Who?', - just as we've had for the last 4 losses, - if we get a hole stretching from Clermont. At least Domingo won't be playing.
Smear me in chocolate and throw me to the Lesbians.
As long we manage to stay within 5pts of the top 4 up until the 6 nations we have a chance. At the minute we're 7 points back. But since you can get 4 pts for a win and that's not a mammoth task. A successful run fo games should put us right back up there.
D-ream - not only can things only get better - they will.
Suggest that those with dark thoughts keep out of Boots for a week or two and the urge to act on your dark feelings may well have passed. Its not worth it, don't do it, trust me I know - if nothing else you would look like a complete schtuumer when we are riding high at Christmas.
Keep the faith
NEVER MOVE ON. Years on, I cannot ever watch Ireland with anything but indifference, I continue to wish for the imminent death of Donal Spring, the FIRFUC's executioner of Wee Paddy & Wee Stu, and I hate the FIRFUCs with undiminished passion.
By extrapolation from the situation Munster have to comply with over the next eight games, I presume Ulster will also be constrained by the number of appearances allowed for our Irish International players. I read it as being for a specific period of the season rather than an overall season constraint.
How short the deck will be is unknown however. Our next 8 games include 4 European games and I presume we will not restrict any players from selection for these games unless the imposed restraint is quite OTT.
That leaves us Connacht (H), Glasgow (A), Scarlets (H) and Leinster (A) to comply with the constraint. To get through these 8 games and comply with the imposed constraint will require careful management and we will not be dealing from a full deck for all these games.
Ulster v Munster at Ravenhill is the first game outside this 8 game period. Whether that will be in a further period of constraint is not clear at this time but it may well be.
Good luck in your points predictions for Ulster over the next 7/8 games guys.
Hard to know. On current form, i wouldn't expect too much, but then again with the big guns back and most of the games at home we might be okay. A lot depends on the new guys coming in. If Afoa can steady the scrum and carry the ball well then that could be a massive help. Terblanche is also a key signing. Again, we need to steady the back 3 and if he has a decent kicking game then that would help considerably. A lot of ifs and buts really. Personally, I think it will be an average season. Plenty of home wins and plenty of away defeats.
Climb up onto the top of your house and start screaming: 'stand up for the Ulstermen, stand.......'
Agree that the new signings will bring a lot to the table but I think that Muller is key and if he can get the Pack organised and functioning then We will hopefully be as dominant as last season. Likewise in the backs Ruan should make the correct decisions with accurate passing to give IH some time with which to release a some very able strike runners.
The only snag is the fact that we are one game away from playing the current best clubside in Europe, who even without their internationals have racked up big scores of late. I hope Les Kiss will have a look at them for us and organise a defensive strategy capable of containing them. Have Faith/Hope/Confidence or whatever positive adjective is befitting.
Connacht - 5 points
the boys should be told to go out and try and score as many tries as possible (confidence boost) and they shouldn't disappoint against a connacht side fielding 3 of our rejects
Clermont - 4 points
dare i say it? the lads are very good at upping their game in the heiny and with 12,000 loyal supporters cheering them on we should just edge a very difficult opening game
Leicester - 0 points
unless we really up our game, this match should yield no points for us (maybe even on the scoreboard)
Glasgow - 4 points
hopefully they will take heart from the previous three performances and be able to carry through and dispose of a glasgow side who are very good at firhill
the season starts in november guys
You haven't seen me at my best yet. Let's be honest, you probably never will.
BaggyTrousers wrote:D-ream - not only can things only get better - they will.
Suggest that those with dark thoughts keep out of Boots for a week or two and the urge to act on your dark feelings may well have passed. Its not worth it, don't do it, trust me I know - if nothing else you would look like a complete schtuumer when we are riding high at Christmas.
Keep the faith
I really like your positivity. You aren't on Diazepam by any chance?
Smear me in chocolate and throw me to the Lesbians.
Connacht - scrape a win but no BP
Clermont - much the same. A win , no BP for us, but a BP for Clermont
Leicester - a hiding. Coming home with our tails well between our legs. BP win for Leicester
Glasgow - another loss but a losing BP
Scarlets - another losing BP
Aironi - a BP win
Aironi - A win but no BP
Leinster - a thumping win for .......Leinster
Munster - a BP loss
BaggyTrousers wrote:D-ream - not only can things only get better - they will.
Suggest that those with dark thoughts keep out of Boots for a week or two and the urge to act on your dark feelings may well have passed. Its not worth it, don't do it, trust me I know - if nothing else you would look like a complete schtuumer when we are riding high at Christmas.
Keep the faith
I really like your positivity. You aren't on Diazepam by any chance?
No its a different drug altogether Jack, I'll have you know I was a pessimist before I discovered happy clappy pills.
NEVER MOVE ON. Years on, I cannot ever watch Ireland with anything but indifference, I continue to wish for the imminent death of Donal Spring, the FIRFUC's executioner of Wee Paddy & Wee Stu, and I hate the FIRFUCs with undiminished passion.
lovesthehardground wrote:Connacht - scrape a win but no BP
Clermont - much the same. A win , no BP for us, but a BP for Clermont Leicester - a hiding. Coming home with our tails well between our legs. BP win for Leicester
Glasgow - another loss but a losing BP
Scarlets - another losing BP
Aironi - a BP win
Aironi - A win but no BP
Leinster - a thumping win for .......Leinster
Munster - a BP loss
season to be over by the New Year.
Hardyin, I am becoming increasingly concerned about you doing the driving on this trip - perhaps Brian could bring his licence ? I shall stick to the anesthetic qualities of alcholol for my comfort. Sounding like a miserable trip
NEVER MOVE ON. Years on, I cannot ever watch Ireland with anything but indifference, I continue to wish for the imminent death of Donal Spring, the FIRFUC's executioner of Wee Paddy & Wee Stu, and I hate the FIRFUCs with undiminished passion.
Its not worth it, don't do it, trust me I know - if nothing else you would look like a complete schtuumer when we are riding high at Christmas. 
